Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-01-07
RAILROAD TRANSPORTATION.
Tho Policy OF tho State Not to Haraa


The Policy OF tho State Not to Harass
tho Corporations.
The subject eff trsnspoHtation-or reason.
able tariff rates on our railroads.&c. Of sup.
rene interest to the people Of this state, and I
have no doubt will secure your earnest At.
tention. The right Of the Legislature to pass
laws for the supervision OF railroads has been
for anumber OF years we'll settled. This right
was not, however, established without Sc
we're and protracted struggle. / well Yemem-
Der that when In 1870 1t was nrst advocated by
the then governor Of this state, in q message
to the Legislature, the proposition was re-
ceived with much doubt. Not only all the
large majority Of the lawyers OF the state an.
tagonized 1t rs in conflict With the fundamental
law of the land and opposed
TO the genius Of our institutions. However,
In the following year q bill was passed by the
legislature and with the approval OF the gov
ernor became a Law. fixing the rate. both
freight and passenger. About the same time
similar legislation was enacted In several
other northwestern states. Suits were insti.
tinted In this state, in Illinois, and perhaps in
some other Of the northwestern states, under
the 80 called ''granger laws" against varisgs
railroad companies for the violation OF thu
laws. The enactments were experimental and
no doubt crude and il-adapted to the ex.
igencies OF the situation. but they served the
putPV50 "a oCSuIAu& q JuNiCtns bouCltOu 2uu
vindication Of the right Of legislative control.
The judicisi decisions obtained under them.
not only in the state courts but in the supreme
court of tho United States as we'll, settled for.
ever the constitutionality OF such laws, and
confirmed the authority of the Legislature.
Thus was esta blished one Of the most i'm.
portant rights ever secured free people, The
exper iency Of state supervision over railroad
and kindr, corporations has sometimes been
doubted since then but the right is no longer
questioned.
do not take it to be the policy Of the state
to
EEEDLEssLY INTERFERE WITH
or to harrass any great interest, and more
especially the railroad interests Of the com
monwealth. That railroads have become in.
diepeusable to commercial and agricultural
prosperity. II not to the very existence of the
civilization OF the century, No one needs any
longer to be told. To eliminate them would be
to turn back the wheel of progress to the very
portals Of the dark ages. But their supreme
Importance makes 1t only the more essential
that they should be so judicionsly managed
aud controlled as to develop the highest ETH.
cheney and usefulness of which they are capa.
BILE, not simply Us wesllh- producers to their
managers and proprietors, but az engines
powerful for good to the masses of the people
as we'll.
The very fact that every city, town and vii
ldSe etTlNCb luz tuo uOet 6Wpl6 IAlTOdu lAClE.
ties, is tribute to their value which no one
can gainsay. Any movement to Cypress or
cripple these interests, simply to satisfy q
popular clamOr, would not only be unjust to
the roads. but ruinons to the people them
selves. There Is often wide but honest di.
vergence OF opinion between the masses who
use and desire TO profit by the roads snd their
from different standpoints, and often each does
the other injustice. The duty Of the state Is
to fud the middle ground--the happy mean
between the extreDes-and having found
1t. there to establish, with firm, but impartial
hand, the great and often intricate relations be.
tween the railroads and those who furnish
them business and pay their dividends.
Tho policy OF this s'ate. after s,me legis.
)stive nuctuation, has settled upon board Of
commissioners ae the beat jnstramentaAty
with which to accomplish this end. My judg.
ment concurs In this policy, and that safety to
both sides lies In board OF able, incorruptible
men, fearless in the discharge OF public dn,y,
and with ample powers to enforce their dc.
crees. Though railroads In this country are
not built with public funds, they can
NOT DE CLAssED AS PRIVATE rRopERTY.
They are common carriers, and, even under
tho common law, arc under certain obligations
and owe certain duties to the public. Their
franchises are grant from the state, and they
possess no essential powers not conferred by
tuC StatCs 1neTctOTo IL u from Inc pcOplo
that they obtain 'fo and authority, and their
accountability to rho people logically follows.
The public interest In such corporations,
though not one OF invested capital, IL real and
substantial, and'one that lhe state can not, in
It's duty to the public, cease to protect. The
right OF control on tho part OF tho state IL but
fair rotur" for tho powers and privileges con-
ferrod. This right indeed would seom 10 be
inhoront and indefcasible in the state. 1t IL
ovon to DO doubted II tho state could divcst
itself Of tho dntios and responsibilities im.
piled wore 1t 20 disposed.
Thore IL but little or no organization among
tho farmers Of tho state FOR mutual protection,
and In the matter OF fTights and tho inspcc-
ton aud grading OF grain their inter arc
specially committed to tho railroad and waro.
house commissioners. As rule other indus.
tries have more complete organization and arc
much better qualified to caro- for themselves.
Tho railroads, as Is well known. are under tho
<. MANAIEMENr or ABi.E MEN, i @F5%
capable OF protecting them At every point.